By: Tricia
We’re going to talk about three hacks to stop making excuses and finally take control of your health and fitness as a busy woman. But before we start talking about that, I want to remind you that I have a Facebook community. That’s totally free whole health empowerment project. It’s a community of women over 40. And if you’re a man over 40, that deals with the same things that these women do, please feel free to join, but it’s, it’s meant to be a community that, you know, you can have a little bit more interaction with me. So the things that we talk about in the podcast, we can also talk about in the group. And then just in the group is just talking about, you know, things that we face that, you know, that maybe get in the way of having whole health balance.
So now we’re back to the episode and we’re back to talking about three help hacks or three hacks to finally get this going in so that you can take control of your, of your health. So let’s dive in. The first one that I’m going to talk about is establishing a routine that works for you and really a system that works for you.
When we talk about a system we’re talking about a method or a process of how you do something, all of us in our life and most things that we do have some kind of process of how you get things done. So this could be like your morning routine, each step follows along another step in order to get to the goal of maybe you getting out of the house on time to get to work. That’s an example of a routine. So this is all of the details of how you, how you manage your life. But when it comes to health, wellness and self-care, I think a lot of us don’t have that kind of system or routine in place. And we just think that it’s magically going to happen. That we’re just going to achieve those goals that we really want of having of having health, Lamas and self-care.
And I think we, we always are talking about how to make it behavior change, but we don’t really have any systems in place that can support that behavior change to happen. When it comes to system and establishing routines, it’s typically a very intentional system that takes some time to come up with so that in the long run, you are able to do that more efficiently. So when we’re talking about wanting to make a behavior change, it requires a system or a series of steps that are practice are regularly and repeatedly. So they get to the desired result. So when we talk about systems, we they’re really helpful to have a system or to have a routine when it comes to just assist them and running your household. But then also it’s really important to have when it comes to help. So systems save time, they save money, they save energy and nothing, no change is going to happen unless you have the steps you need to make the change happen.
So a lot of times we fail at achieving a goal that we might have because we don’t have any process in place to make it happen. I think we rely on motivation that all of a sudden we’re going to be like, Oh my gosh, I feel so great today. I think this is them going to take control of my health. And look, I do it too. So I’m not perfect in any of this. So, but it has to be a little bit more intentional that, and then that, because systems will show the steps that you meet need to make the change, and it will show you what works regularly so that you can create a habit. And then in the long-term you have some kind of behavior change systems are not one size fits all. So what might work for your neighbor or your husband, or your friend may not work for you, typically different systems work for different people systems also help provide organization and help decrease that juggle of a task that needs to be done.
So when we’re talking about systems, think about what works in your life when it comes to the system. So think about maybe it is a morning routine, or maybe it’s an nighttime routine. Think about how that process took, right? That it didn’t just start. And then all of a sudden that’s your same routine. It probably took some time and some tweaking. So maybe if we’re talking about a morning routine, maybe it started out that you would just get up and get a cup of coffee and then get dressed and go to work. Right. But then over time, maybe you were able to add to that routine that maybe you get up and you pray or you meditate, or maybe you get up and do some physical activity, or maybe you get up and just have some meditation or write in a journal. And then, you know, so now that has become a system, but it probably wasn’t something that happened very quickly.
It probably took some time and tweaking for that to happen when it comes to your health. It’s the same thing. You know, I think what we forget is that when we’re developing a system, we already probably have a morning routine or a night routine that we follow. And so when it comes to making health changes, it will be more apt to happen. If we’re able to kind of add on what we want to do with it, with something that we’re already doing. So if you already have some of your morning routine, maybe it’s a little bit easier if you get up just a little bit earlier, because now not the rest of your routine won’t change, but that particular piece will. And so it’s just really practicing what works for you and what a routine and a system looks like when it comes to making changes that will support the health goal that you want.
So how do we identify, you know, what you need to do? What kind of works for you in terms of creating a system? Typically, when we talk about systems, we’re talking about the biggest problem that needs to be solved in your life right now. So first I will look at what works in your routine and in your life and, and just kind of go through the series of steps that work and why it works. And then you want to figure out what are you trying to solve? Or what are you, where are you having a problem? So for a lot of people, I think examples would be like, you know, you’re not exercising as much as you want to. Maybe you’re not meal prepping as much. Maybe you’re not sleeping as, as good as you would. Like, maybe you’re not doing a nighttime routine. So I would say to kind of look at the routine that you are doing that night and try to figure out if there’s any ways that you can incorporate what you want.
So if it is that you want to wash your fees and brush your teeth before you go to bed, we’ll look at part of the system that’s already working and try to figure out how you can add onto that. Maybe instead of going up to bed later, you would go up to bed maybe 15 minutes earlier, and then you create that routine. But remember, there’s going to be parts that are going to be needed to be like tweaked or, you know, or maybe it just doesn’t work. So anytime that you’re working with a system and creating a system, which is again, just a series of steps that you can, that you’ve made it enough, that you can do it consistently so that you have a long-term goal that you’re accomplishing, because you’re able to do it consistently because that’s the real, that’s the real key in all of this is to create a routine or a system that becomes part of your life that is easier to do because you’re doing it consistently.
And the consistency is the key here. So write down all of, you know, what the problem is. And then if there’s any part of the system that you’re already doing, so maybe you already are able to get up and work out some mornings a week, but then not others. And maybe it was to do it a little bit more. So write down the days that you’re successful and try to figure out, okay, what, what in that routine that day makes it successful. And then look at the days when you’re not able to do it and really try to tease out what the, you know, what the difference is to see if it’s something there. Maybe there’s just a tiny step in there that is a little bit different and making you not be able to exercise on the days that you, wow. So just kind of the goal here is to divide all of the system and you play around with it and to see what works, what doesn’t work, and then, and to consistently change that as much as you need to, to make the behavior more consistent.
Again, it might be times in your life that maybe you have a routine that really works, and then maybe you have a job, or, you know, you have a Creek a year like 2020 with the current of buyers and everything changes. So there will be times that maybe you have a system that works that that system may need to be tweaked because it no longer works because there’s other things outside of your control for that system to work. The next hack is to start where you’re at and be realistic with your expectations. So for you may be so excited to start working out that, you know, may start some crazy unrealistic exercise goal, such as you know, Oh, I’m going to work out every day, this week when maybe last week or the last year, you’ve only worked out one or two times a week, or maybe even less, this unrealistic expectation may set you up to fail because what are the chances that you’re really going to be able to achieve that this time around?
And so why also having the realistic expectation is something that I wanted to discuss is because we’ve talked about systems, right? And so if we’re talking about creating a new routine for you in terms of a system, then we want to start where you’re at. We don’t want to make this big shift and this big routine, if you’re not doing anything. So for instance, if you’re working out, you know, a couple of times a month, it’s going to be really hard to create a system that all of a sudden, every day, you need a follow, because now you’ve decided that you want to work out five days a week. And what may be a better approach is to kind of implement incrementally, increase that physical activity so that you can tweak your routine of increasing your physical activity each week, and that you can practice the routine and see what works for you.
And then over here, time, you’ll get to the goal of maybe what you want to achieve a five, two days a week. So being realistic will help you establish the routine that works. And so then as you start to practice that routine every, every day that you are meant to do that behavior, you’re going to be more consistent with that routine. And then it’s going to become much more of a lifestyle to starting where you’re at is the second one. And remember that the more consistent you are with your behavior, you can start to add more time into whatever you decide to do. If it’s exercise that your goal, because the more regular you are with the routine, the likelier, the lifestyle change will happen. So the goal is to do the activity, not for a short time, but to become a lifestyle behavior. And if you don’t really have like a robust routine in place, it’s going to be hard for you to maintain that activity.
If exercise is your goal or any health goal that you have in order for it to become something that is a lifestyle change. And the third one I want to talk about today is focusing on your behavior and then reviewing it. I think there’s two mistakes a year. A lot of times we, we are so focused on the outcome that we want to achieve, but not the behavior that we want to achieve. So behavior is something that we can engage in consistently that guides us towards our goals. The outcome is something that comes much later and it’s, uh, it’s much further away. So it’s the behavior that will get us where we need to go. And it’s the behavior that’s going to give us that short term sense of satisfaction. And then as we keep practicing that behavior, then we’ll get the ultimate outcome of the goal that we want to achieve.
So monitoring your behavior is something that is much more controllable and much more measurable to achieving the goal that you want. It’s hard to maintain consistent motivation with something that feels so far away like the outcome. So the behavior is what you practice over and over again, that will get you the outcome that you want. So when we talk about behaviors, it can be any health behavior that you want to do. Typically, one more setting health goals. You’ll hear a lot that people talk about smart goals. So smart is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. So some examples of health-related goals that can fall into the category of, you know, smart goal would be like, I want to eat this many fruits and veggies this week. What your outcome may be. You feel more energized. So you are setting something that is achievable because maybe you want to increase your fruits and veggies to three times this week.
And you know that by doing that, you’re going to feel more energized. That’s a specific goal. It’s achievable, it’s realistic. You have a time that you want to do it it’s this week. And so that’s a really good goal as opposed to, I want to lose 10 pounds in a month. Well, that whole goal lacks, you know how you’re going to do that, what the outcome of that is going to be, and it lacks the behaviors that are going to get you to that goals. So then you’d have to break that down even further and say, okay, I want to lose weight this month. I’m going to log my food this many times per week. And I want to lose weight this month. I’m going to exercise this many times this week because the outcome is going to make me feel good and I’m going to feel more fat.
So it’s the behavior goal that you want to achieve. And you want to break this down into like small, achievable, daily steps that you can do to achieve your bigger goal. So again, if weight loss is something that you want to achieve and say, you want to do that 10 pounds in one month, break that down into smaller, achievable daily steps. Don’t just have it in your head is like, Oh, I’m going to achieve this, break it down. How are you going to make that happen and start small don’t set goals that, you know, you will not be able to achieve because you probably won’t be able to achieve it because you don’t really believe it. And you don’t really have an action plan in place that will make that goal happen, set goals that, you know, you can commit to and that you can easily achieve.
And you want to do the achievable part because that’s going to give you a win along the way. It’s so hard to stay motivated and to feel like you can do something. If you have a really broad goal and that there’s no end, and you don’t even know if you can achieve it because you don’t really believe it because it seems so out of the realm that it would happen. So set a doable goal that you can easily achieve each week. And then you build upon that. So you do it one week and you’re like, I did great. Let me do that for next week. And then the more you do it, the more you practice it, that goal will become that behavior will become much more of a goal. And then it will lead you to the outcome that you want. I have as a 12 week program that I’ve been talking about a lot on here, it’s called the whole health balance blueprint.
And in that program, we talk about just this. We talk about, you know, creating routines and habit. And in that program, we talk about goals that are doable, and we have accountability surrounding that. It’s a 12 week program and it creates routines and habits and food, freedom, and health transformation. It’s not a diet, but more of a lifestyle and behavior change program that teaches you the foundation of healthy behaviors. It’s individualized to what you need. And it tackles emotional eating and mindset and guilt, but it also talks about creating systems and routine to make yourself a priority and to achieve the goals that you want. So if that’s something that, you know, you think you’re ready for it, this point head on over to my website, there’s a link there. My website is Tricia, R D as in registered dietician.com. So you can find some more information over there.
And with this goal, I want to remind you of something else that’s important. It’s not only important to set the goal and to try to achieve the goal each week by having, you know, doable goals each week, but then what’s important. And I think the key of all of it is to review your behavior and review what worked for you and what didn’t work for. You just review at the end of your week, review your goals without judgment, no judgment here, figure out what worked for you and what didn’t work. And that there’s no judgment. If it didn’t work, it just means that you have to change that. So developing habits happen over time. And the more that you review that process, you can see what patterns you practice repeatedly and what patterns you weren’t able to accomplish. And it just gives you information so that you can figure out what works for you, because remember all of this behavior change, what works for your friend or your family member may not work for you.
So, you have to do what, what works best for you based on your life, your health and your experiences that maybe someone else that didn’t have this process of reviewing your behavior will allow you to formulate a plan that works best for you so that, you know, you can maintain your health for the long term because that’s the goal here. So thanks so much for listening. And again, I encourage you to head on over to my Facebook group, who’ll help empower and join me over there and join the other ladies over there so that we can empower each other to take action. And it’s a free group. So if you feel like that, you know, you’re on your own with creating these routines and creating these health changes that you really want, because I think most people are alone in doing it head on over there, and we can support you. And I can support you in any answer, any questions that you have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next week. If you found value in this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe on iTunes. Being a busy woman or mom doesn’t mean that we have to give up on our health, wellness or soft care together. We can take tiny, imperfect steps towards creating the whole health we desire and deserve. You can find us at whole health, power.com or on Instagram at whole health empower. Thanks for listening. I’ll see you next week.
Resources:
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